FitView: Be the Sunshine in your Fitness
By Efren Martinez
The Holidays are nicely put away in the 2022 storage containers, and we are deep into Winter. Our next Holiday, Valentine’s Day, might not be everyone’s favorite. Unfortunately, Valentine’s Day can be a cruel reminder to those alone. Let’s admit it. It’s cold and dark by 5 pm, and most of us are waterlogged from the much-needed rain we had over the last two months. It’s enough to get you depressed. I admit it! I need a good dose of sunshine to be my happy self.
Regardless of what Holiday it is or what comes up. The Winter weeks after Christmas can be most depressing. All the beautiful lights and cheer are gone. So if you’ve been feeling down or depressed lately, you’re not alone. It’s natural to get the Winter blues during this time of the year. Friends, our minds, bodies, and Spiritual well-being require a certain amount of Sunshine to keep us all happy and healthy besides a fitness lifestyle. It perhaps also has to do with the lack of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is what we all get naturally from the sun, and we all must get enough of it. This is why I always increase my Vitamin D dose in the Fall and won’t scale it down till the Spring.
It’s no secret that the sun influences all living creatures. The Egyptians thought it was so powerful that they worshiped it as a God. It was their God of the Sun, and they referred to it as Ra. I’m not suggesting we all worship the Sun as a God as the Egyptians did. Heck, we all know how that Civilization ended up. Still, there are a few things you can do naturally to help boost your mood and get into your Sunshine happy self. Always take advantage of any sunshine when you have it during the Winter. I know it’s cold outside, but if the sun is shining, make a point to go outside and let your face absorb the golden rays. It will do wonders for you. Eat as much Vitamin D-rich food as you can. A simple internet search can direct you to foods rich in Vitamin D. Escape the confines of any gym and choose to do your workouts outside.
Surround yourself with positive funny people, wear bright clothing, and learn how to break dance—just kidding about the break dancing. My point is to laugh as much as possible. Laughing keeps you shining inside and out. Choose a comedy over a drama. Stay positive, and surround yourself with positive, happy, fun people. Here’s a hint, you won’t find any of this on social media. It takes human interaction to achieve the “real” sunshine in your fitness and life.
